Waiting
by AriMarvelUniverse
Summary: (Part two in progress.) After two years of silence, Leo finally comes home, but after all this time, Kiyono isn't there to welcome him back. Mikey won't tell him, and neither will Donnie. Where is she, exactly? Angsty and dramatic, and the next chapter will most likely be rated r or m or whatever for drug use.


"Hey, get up. Jungle- boy's home...better say hi, 'fore he leaves again..."

"Unnghh...R-Raph, what are you-...OH. My god...Leo...!?..."

"Hey, Donnie...How's it-"

"LEO! You're HOME!"

The impact of the floor on the back of his skull when he fell off of the couch did two things for Michelangelo- it woke him up, and it also blurred his vision for a few seconds. Even so, he flipped himself off of the ground with a speed that would have made Bruce Lee proud and launched himself at one of the two fuzzy green blobs in front of him. He hadn't heard that voice in almost two years, but he thought he would know it anywhere. He squeezed the taller figure as tightly as he could, and was delighted to feel familiar, hard muscle and real, warm flesh. Up till he heard the large huff of breath, he hadn't been totally sure that he wasn't dreaming this whole thing up...or having another nightmare. It could have been one of THOSE...a scene just like this, where Leo was back and everything was good again...and then...not.

But it WAS. It WAS. This time, his mind wasn't playing any awful tricks on him.  
Tears welled in Mikey's lake blue eyes as he tightened his grip, not knowing whether to laugh or cry and doing a little bit of both at the same time. Relief swept through his veins and made him feel lightheaded, like he'd been eating spoonful's of sugar all day. It didn't even MATTER that he only got half a hug back, at least, or that the longer he held on, he could feel the other body trying to gently peel him off.

It didn't MATTER because Leonardo was HOME. Life, which had been sucking epically until then, was about to start NOT sucking. Big brother was back, for reals, no shell, in the flesh this time. Somebody had kicked the world back into place.  
But he still had to make sure. Just in case...

"I can't believe it...I'm not dreaming, am I?" He babbled, glancing up through his dampened orange mask into the bemused brown eyes that were exactly how he remembered. Leo chuckled and patted the top of his head. "No, Mikey, you're not dreaming." Mikey sighed and hugged him one last time, then stood up fully. "Oh, good...I have nightmares about-" he stopped himself short. No way dude...no negative stuff. Good feelings. Sunshine. "Um...birthday parties. That job...sucks." he finished lamely, averting his eyes from Leo's confused blink.

Donatello really didn't know what to say...he wasn't one to throw himself at people, but seeing Leo again was enough to bring a smile to his face, and even let him not be TOO irritated at the nuggie he'd received. He rubbed the back of his head and grinned at his brother, casually inspecting him. Leo hadn't changed much in the time he'd been gone...except for being a little thinner, maybe. He wasn't hurt or healing, but there was something different in his eyes...a harder look that he didn't remember.

But he was probably overthinking things, as usual. "Good to have you back, Leo." he said honestly, already thinking about quitting his awful internet job as soon as possible. Leonardo smiled gently, and his heart swelled. "Good to be back, Donnie."

For two seconds, everything was as it had been...until reality came crashing back in.

The genius's sharp hazel eyes missed nothing...so he saw the brief moment when Leo's darted away from both of their faces and around the room, searching almost desperately for something- or someone- that wasn't there, and the disappointment that lingered in them when they returned.

Donnie glanced at Mikey, and saw the same awkwardness reflected in the youngests eyes. This is what they had been dreading for two years. How was he supposed to explain this...the deterioration that had been going steady since the day he had- or rather, HADN'T- walked through the door? The screams that had started up again and haunted them at night? The tiny bag he'd found stuffed in her shoe two weeks before? The syringe that had gone missing from the cabinet?

He didn't want to be a coward, but he had convinced himself a long time ago that when this time came, it wouldn't be his responsibility.

"She's...she's at work, Leo. She changed to the night shift." he explained slowly, eyeing his face carefully. "You can try to call her, though..." He didn't tell him that it was doubtful that she was going to answer. Leo nodded again and reached into his belt as if in a daze, removing his dim, cracked shell cell like he'd never seen it before. "I don't think...I'll be able to get her." he said, looking up almost guiltily. "I haven't changed the battery in...a long time."

Unexpectedly, Donnie felt a surge of anger. Like that was an excuse? He sighed inaudibly and pushed it down, taking out his own cell and handing it over without a word. Leo thanked him and dialed the number, staring at the screen and hardly breathing. They all went still and silent as it rang...once, twice, three times, four...until from the kitchen table, the theme song to Star Wars could be heard echoing. Mikey grimaced and went to retrieve it. When he came back, the slim black cell phone in his hand was still ringing. "She left it here..."

A thrill of foreboding and dread went up Donatello's spine as his mind flew to WHY she might have left it there. Leo seemed to sag, and he heard and felt himself move to reassure him. His hand almost made it to Leo's shoulder, before he remembered where he was and drew it slowly back to his body.  
"I'm...I'm sure she just forgot it in a hurry. She'll be ecstatic to see you when she gets home." The words sounded weak even to his own ears.

"Yeah..." Leo didn't look to convinced, and he wasn't surprised. "Donnie, how...how's she doing?"  
Looking into his brothers face, staring into the foolish hope in his eyes...he couldn't do it. He just couldn't. Donatello took a deep breath, set his jaw, and lied through his teeth. "She's alright."

He was a coward, and he knew it. It sickened him. But he couldn't...he just...could not do it. The words burned on his tongue, the accusations and heart wrenching news...fights, asthma attacks, the late night sobbing... Things that Leonardo needed to hear, but not what he wanted to hear.

What he wanted to hear was that she was fine, that everyone was okay. Leo wanted to hear that she still waited up for him at night, still slept in his room, still battled Raph over the remote when StarGate Atlantis was on at the same time as WWE and still poured Red Hots in her cheerios.  
Except... she wasn't.

The truth was, even he didn't know how bad she really was anymore. It was partly his fault, he knew. He could have helped her. He could have done something, other than just...watch. Watch as she died a little more each day. And now he couldn't even admit to what he'd done.

*  
Like a silent gargoyle on a church roof, Raph watched Leo's coming home party from the upstairs railing, his face set and cold. He was busy convincing himself that he didn't feel any different now that Leo was home than he had two days ago, when he'd ripped up that picture and threw it in Kiyono's face. In his mind, Leo had abandoned them. Period and point blank.  
He wasn't stupid. He knew that story that April and Case had told them was bullshit. She HAD found him, and that was the only reason he was home.  
His lip curled into a sneer as he watched Mikey flip out to the point of wetting himself, and he almost laughed when he saw Donnie grit his teeth and lie like it wasn't nothing...about everything. About Joanie, about Mikey.

He almost went down there and busted him, told Leo what the hell was really going on. Almost.

But he didn't. Why prepare him? Leo didn't deserve it. What he DID deserve was to see what exactly he had done to her.  
It was gonna be a party when Joanie got home...and he couldn't wait to see the fireworks. See the look on Big Brother's face when his 'Sakura' walked through he door...and see the look on hers.


End file.
